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Virtual NewYork, 16 March 2000
N.Korea urged to apologize for 1983 bombing in Myanmar By CHARLES LEE
SEOUL, South Korea, March 16 (UPI) -- Myanmar will not reopen diplomatic ties with North Korea unless Pyongyang apologizes for its involvement in a 1983 bombing that killed 17 South Korean officials visiting the Southeast Asian country, Myanmar's official was quoted as saying in a Seoul press report Thursday. Myanmar's Vice Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win made the remarks during a meeting with a visiting group of South Korean journalists last week, Yonhap News Agency said. "North Koreans are approaching us (for rapprochement), but they first must admit that their involvement in the incident," Khin was quoted as saying. "Otherwise, we cannot re-establish relations with North Korea." On Oct. 9, 1983, a powerful bomb exploded minutes before South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan was to visit Myanmar's Martyr's Mausoleum in Yangon. Chun was unhurt but 17 top officials, including the country's foreign minister, were killed and 14 others were injured. Three North Koreans were arrested and confessed that the bombing was made by the North's intelligence authorities in order to assassinate the South Korean president. Myanmar, which forged formal ties with North Korea in 1975, severed relations and officially censured Pyongyang at the United Nations. But the North's government has never officially admitted its involvement or apologized. The Yangon incident was followed by another bombing by the North of a South Korean civilian airliner near Myanmar four years later. All 115 people on board the Korean Air 858 plane died. The bomb attacks caused the United States to put North Korea on its list of countries that sponsor terrorist activities. North Korea has demanded it be removed from the list, which analysts say has blocked Washington-led international financial bodies from providing North Korea with loans it desperately needs. The United States and North Korea had talks in New York this week to discuss the demand. The Myanmar's remarks came amid the North's diplomatic overture to improve ties with Southeast Asian countries. Pyongyang's Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun is set to embark next week on a weeks-long tour of Asian countries, which include China, Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia. |